Intrinsic touts micropipe-free SiC substrates

LONDON  Intrinsic Semiconductor has started production of initial lots of 100-mm SiC substrates and plans to migrate production of all its products  SiC wafers of both insulating and conducting types, SiC and gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial products in 75-mm diameter  to the new process.

Intrinsic (Dulles, VA.) also said it has developed silicon carbide substrates completely free of micropipe defects.

Such defects  voids that permeate SiC material as it is grown  have been a major contributor to SiC's low yields and associated high costs. Intrinsic says it managed to make the micropipe-free substrates using its commercial production equipment. It suggests this represents a major milestone towards SiC's commercialization.

"More than just a yield improvement, micropipe-free substrates introduce a new category of product, opening up new device possibilities," notes Cengiz Balkas, Intrinsic’s president and CEO. "Large-area devices that switch 100 amps or more, for example, cannot be manufactured cost-effectively even with defect densities as low as 1 micropipe per square centimetre,” added Balkas.

The transition to 100-mm production from current 50-mm and 75-mm substrates is also said to be an important aspect of commercialization of SiC devices.

"The conversion of our manufacturing to 100-mm substrates, which will be available in volume in the first half of 2006, will provide a major stimulus to commercial SiC device production aimed at satisfying demand in the rapidly expanding power and RF market," Balkas said in a statement.